Gavin Stone

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Dodgers #2 prospect in 2024
  BA Grade: 50/Medium
  
  Track Record: While Bobby Miller, Ryan Pepiot and Emmet Sheehan all played big roles as midseason callups on the Dodgers’ pitching staff in 2023, Stone fell behind. The 2020 fifth-rounder won the minor league ERA title in 2022 and appeared primed for a role on the Dodgers’ staff, but he suffered a blister on his toe in spring training that threw off his delivery, leading to a decline in his stuff and control. He got crushed for a 9.00 ERA and .338 opponent average over his eight appearances with the Dodgers and posted the worst ERA (4.74), walk rate (10.7%) and strikeout rate (27.8%) of his career at Triple-A Oklahoma City. He managed to finish on a high note with 6.1 innings and 10 strikeouts to win the deciding game of the Pacific Coast League championship series.
  
  Scouting Report: Stone is a slight but athletic righthander with a fierce competitive streak. His fastball sits 94 mph and touches 98 out of a low release point that gives it added carry. His 83-87 mph changeup is nearly a plus-plus pitch with late run and dive, and his mid-80s slider flashes average with depth and late bite. Stone’s arsenal is loud, but his pitch selection needs improvement. He falls in love with his changeup and major league hitters took advantage, ignoring his slider and sitting on his change to make him a two-pitch pitcher. He added a 89-91 cutter during the season to give him another option, but it’s a below-average offering in its nascent stages. Stone throws strikes with above-average control when his delivery is right, but his fastball command is only average and he’ll catch too much of the plate.
  
  The Future: Stone has to incorporate his slider more to get batters off his fastball and changeup. He projects to be a no. 4 starter if he makes that adjustment.
  
  Scouting Grades Fastball: 55 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 65 | Cutter: 40 | Control: 55
• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Dodgers #6 prospect in 2023
  BA Grade/Risk: 55/Medium
  
  Track Record: Stone spent most of his first two seasons at Central Arkansas pitching in relief before moving to the rotation as a junior. He pitched a no-hitter with 13 strikeouts in his final start before the coronavirus pandemic ended the 2020 season. Drafted by the Dodgers in the fifth round, he signed for a below-slot $97,500. Stone immediately showed himself to be a potential steal when he led the Dodgers' system in strikeouts in his pro debut. He solidified that status in 2022 by leading the minor leagues with a 1.48 ERA as he rocketed from High-A to Triple-A.
  
  Scouting Report: Stone is undersized with a small frame, but he's an elite athlete who keeps getting stronger and adding velocity. His fastball has grown from 90-92 mph in college to 93-96 in his pro debut to now 94-98 to make it a plus pitch he commands well. His fastball doesn't have exceptional movement characteristics, but he moves it around the zone effectively and mixes it well with his secondary pitches. Stone's best pitch is a plus-plus 84-87 mph changeup with late run and dive he will throw in any count. He can land it for strikes or get chase swings with it and almost never allows hard contact. Stone's tight, vertical slider in the mid 80s tunnels well off his fastball and is a potentially above-average pitch that gives him a quality third offering. He rarely throws his fringy 79-82 mph curveball, but he can land it for a strike. Stone has improved his command in unison with his velocity and throws crisp strikes with plus control. He is a focused, composed competitor on the mound and holds his velocity deep into starts despite his small frame.
  
  The Future: Stone's enhanced stuff gives him a chance to be a midrotation starter, though his slight frame still gives some evaluators pause. His major league debut should come in 2023.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 60. Curveball: 45. Slider: 50. Changeup: 70. Control: 60
• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Dodgers #17 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: After spending most of his first two seasons in the bullpen, Stone moved into Central Arkansas’ starting rotation in 2020 and threw a no-hitter in his final start before the coronavirus pandemic shut down the season. The Dodgers drafted him in the fifth round and signed him for a below-slot $97,500. Stone made his pro debut in 2021 and was one of the surprises of the season. He led the Dodgers organization with 138 strikeouts as he rose from Low-A to High-A.
  
  Scouting Report: Stone’s fastball sat 90-92 mph in college but ticked up to 93-97 in his pro debut. His fastball plays up with run and ride from his low release point to make it an above-average pitch that gets swings and misses in the strike zone. Stone uses his fastball heavily, but his slider and changeup are also viable weapons. His mid-80s slider flashes average and he began incorporating a firm, 86-89 mph changeup as last year progressed and flashed a plus offering with split action and late dive. Stone is undersized and has some effort to his delivery, but he has above-average control and holds his velocity through his starts.
  
  The Future: Stone largely projects to be a multi-inning reliever. He still has some physical projection left and could potentially blossom into a back-end starter.
  

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #303 prospect in 2020 draft
  Stone’s final start of the abbreviated 2020 season was one to finish on. He struck out a career-high 13 batters while throwing the third no-hitter in Central Arkansas history. Stone spent most of his first two seasons at Central Arkansas in the bullpen, but he ascended to the Friday starter role this season and handled it well. Stone doesn’t have a true plus pitch, but he has three average offerings including a 90-92 mph fastball. He locates his changeup and breaking ball well, with his above-average control proving to be his best asset.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #60 prospect in 2023
• Ranked Baseball America's #56 prospect in 2023

• February, 2023 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 55/Medium
  
  Track Record: Stone spent most of his first two seasons at Central Arkansas pitching in relief before moving to the rotation as a junior. He pitched a no-hitter with 13 strikeouts in his final start before the coronavirus pandemic ended the 2020 season. Drafted by the Dodgers in the fifth round, he signed for a below-slot $97,500. Stone immediately showed himself to be a potential steal when he led the Dodgers' system in strikeouts in his pro debut. He solidified that status in 2022 by leading the minor leagues with a 1.48 ERA as he rocketed from High-A to Triple-A.
  
  Scouting Report: Stone is undersized with a small frame, but he's an elite athlete who keeps getting stronger and adding velocity. His fastball has grown from 90-92 mph in college to 93-96 in his pro debut to now 94-98 to make it a plus pitch he commands well. His fastball doesn't have exceptional movement characteristics, but he moves it around the zone effectively and mixes it well with his secondary pitches. Stone's best pitch is a plus-plus 84-87 mph changeup with late run and dive he will throw in any count. He can land it for strikes or get chase swings with it and almost never allows hard contact. Stone's tight, vertical slider in the mid 80s tunnels well off his fastball and is a potentially above-average pitch that gives him a quality third offering. He rarely throws his fringy 79-82 mph curveball, but he can land it for a strike. Stone has improved his command in unison with his velocity and throws crisp strikes with plus control. He is a focused, composed competitor on the mound and holds his velocity deep into starts despite his small frame.
  
  The Future: Stone's enhanced stuff gives him a chance to be a midrotation starter, though his slight frame still gives some evaluators pause. His major league debut should come in 2023.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 60. Curveball: 45. Slider: 50. Changeup: 70. Control: 60
• December, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 55/Medium
  
  Track Record: Stone spent most of his first two seasons at Central Arkansas pitching in relief before moving to the rotation as a junior. He pitched a no-hitter with 13 strikeouts in his final start before the coronavirus pandemic ended the 2020 season. Drafted by the Dodgers in the fifth round, he signed for a below-slot $97,500. Stone immediately showed himself to be a potential steal when he led the Dodgers' system in strikeouts in his pro debut. He solidified that status in 2022 by leading the minor leagues with a 1.48 ERA as he rocketed from High-A to Triple-A.
  
  Scouting Report: Stone is undersized with a small frame, but he's an elite athlete who keeps getting stronger and adding velocity. His fastball has grown from 90-92 mph in college to 93-96 in his pro debut to now 94-98 to make it a plus pitch he commands well. His fastball doesn't have exceptional movement characteristics, but he moves it around the zone effectively and mixes it well with his secondary pitches. Stone's best pitch is a plus-plus 84-87 mph changeup with late run and dive he will throw in any count. He can land it for strikes or get chase swings with it and almost never allows hard contact. Stone's tight, vertical slider in the mid 80s tunnels well off his fastball and is a potentially above-average pitch that gives him a quality third offering. He rarely throws his fringy 79-82 mph curveball, but he can land it for a strike. Stone has improved his command in unison with his velocity and throws crisp strikes with plus control. He is a focused, composed competitor on the mound and holds his velocity deep into starts despite his small frame.
  
  The Future: Stone's enhanced stuff gives him a chance to be a midrotation starter, though his slight frame still gives some evaluators pause. His major league debut should come in 2023.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 60. Curveball: 45. Slider: 50. Changeup: 70. Control: 60
• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 55/High
  
  Track Record: After spending most of his first two seasons in the bullpen, Stone moved into Central Arkansas&#39 starting rotation in 2020 and threw a no-hitter in his final start before the coronavirus pandemic shut down the season. The Dodgers drafted him in the fifth round and signed him for a below-slot $97,500. Stone made his pro debut in 2021 and was one of the surprises of the season. He led the Dodgers organization with 138 strikeouts as he rose from Low-A to High-A.
  
  Scouting Report: Stone&#39s fastball sat 90-92 mph in college but ticked up to 93-97 in his pro debut. His fastball plays up with run and ride from his low release point to make it an above-average pitch that gets swings and misses in the strike zone. Stone uses his fastball heavily, but his slider and changeup are also viable weapons. His mid-80s slider flashes average and he began incorporating a firm, 86-89 mph changeup as last year progressed and flashed a plus offering with split action and late dive. Stone is undersized and has some effort to his delivery, but he has above-average control and holds his velocity through his starts.
  
  The Future: Stone largely projects to be a multi-inning reliever. He still has some physical projection left and could potentially blossom into a back-end starter.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 60. Slider: 55. Changeup: 70. Control: 60
• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: After spending most of his first two seasons in the bullpen, Stone moved into Central Arkansas’ starting rotation in 2020 and threw a no-hitter in his final start before the coronavirus pandemic shut down the season. The Dodgers drafted him in the fifth round and signed him for a below-slot $97,500. Stone made his pro debut in 2021 and was one of the surprises of the season. He led the Dodgers organization with 138 strikeouts as he rose from Low-A to High-A.
  
  Scouting Report: Stone’s fastball sat 90-92 mph in college but ticked up to 93-97 in his pro debut. His fastball plays up with run and ride from his low release point to make it an above-average pitch that gets swings and misses in the strike zone. Stone uses his fastball heavily, but his slider and changeup are also viable weapons. His mid-80s slider flashes average and he began incorporating a firm, 86-89 mph changeup as last year progressed and flashed a plus offering with split action and late dive. Stone is undersized and has some effort to his delivery, but he has above-average control and holds his velocity through his starts.
  
  The Future: Stone largely projects to be a multi-inning reliever. He still has some physical projection left and could potentially blossom into a back-end starter.
  
• December, 2019 Scouting Report
  Stone’s final start of the abbreviated 2020 season was one to finish on. He struck out a career-high 13 batters while throwing the third no-hitter in Central Arkansas history. Stone spent most of his first two seasons at Central Arkansas in the bullpen, but he ascended to the Friday starter role this season and handled it well. Stone doesn’t have a true plus pitch, but he has three average offerings including a 90-92 mph fastball. He locates his changeup and breaking ball well, with his above-average control proving to be his best asset.